Motor-sledge.



1. HANTASA.

MOTOR SLEDGE.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1912. www@ I. RANT/ISA.

MOTOR SLEDGE.

APPLICATION FILED IuNE 5.4912.

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Patented Dec. 7', 1915.

1. RANT/ISA.

MOTORSLEDGE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE5. 1912.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

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1. RANTASA.

MOTOR SLEDGE.

AEPLlcATloN F|LED 1uNE 5. 1912.

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Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

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JAKOB RANTAS, 0F VIENNA, .AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

' MOTOR-`SLEDGE Application filed .Tune 5, 1912.

To all 'whom t may, concern Be it known that I, JAKOB RANTAS, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Vienna, Austrial-iungary, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Motor-Sledges, of which the following is a specification. Y

The invention relates to improvements in motor sleighs especially of the type patented by Letters Patent 922332 of May 18, 1909, according to which the yieldingly mounted propeller can be adjusted in vertical direction in accordance with the depth of the snow on which the sleigh is traveling.

The invention consists in the arrangement of the kblades upon a comparatively wide drum in such a manner that the snow,when the blade drum is in its lowermost position, is compressed by this drum, so that the blades engaging the snow will find resistance enough to eiectively advance the sleigh. The blades are disposed in an angle.

of about 45O to the radius ofthe drum, thus increasing greatly the efliciency of the blade drum.

The invention further consists in improved means for securely mounting the blade drum and for steering the sleigh. The-journal of the axle of the blade drum is rotatably 3o mounted in a bearing frame adjustable in vertical. direction and connected with slides guided between vertical standards of the frame and actuated by ymeans of a train of pulleys and chains. For preventing the gdriving chain of the blade wheel from slackening or from being thrown oif when the blade wheel is raised or lowered a chain tensioning device is provided. The steering of the sleigh is effected by steering shoes in ao frictional contact with the snow or ice and steering the Sledge when actuated'bythe operation of a lever near the drivers seat. Finally the prongs of the blade wheel are laterally bent out of the plane of said wheel so as to oder greater resistance to the ice or frozen snow.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side view of the motor sleigh. Fig. 2 is a side view of a sleigh constructed accordling to the present invention after the removal of the rear part of the body wall of the sleigh. Fig. 3 shows the rear part of the sleigh in side view on anenlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a section on line A-B of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows in perspective view the journal of the blade wheel shaft. Fig. .6 is a Specicaton of Letters Patent.

l Patented Dec.. 7, 1915. Serial No. 701,809.

perspective view of the lower part of a steering shoe. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the steering mechanism. Fig. 8 shows the arrangement of springs used in connection with the steering mechanism. Fig. 9 Shows the blade wheel in side elevation. Fig. 10 1s a plan view thereof partly in section. Fig. 11 shows a modified form of the blade wheel. Fig. 12 is a perspective view 65 of the prongs.

rlhe sleigh comprises the runners 1, the frame 2, the drive mechanism 3, the propelling mechanism and the steering mechanlsm. The driving mechanism 3 consists of 70 a motor andthe usual transmission elements (couplings, gearings and the like)y and transmits its power' by the intermediary of a chain drive upon the propelling mechanism which is arranged in the rear part of the sleigh. The propelling mechanism consists of a blade wheel 4, the blades 5 of which are secured to a comparatively wide drum (i,V while their free ends connected to a rim 7 are provided with sharp spikes orteeth 8. As shown in Fig. 4 the blade wheel 4 4is keyed to a preferably square axle 9 the rounded end pivots 10 of which are mounted on ball bearings within a sleeve 11 provided with an elongated slot into which a suitable 35 key or the like is working for allowing a displacement of the axle in a horizontal direction while simultaneously preventing a rotation of the same. The support 12 of the ball bearing is provided at both of its 9o ends with horizontal pivots 13 which rest in brackets 15 united by means of connecting plates 14`so as to form a supportingframe. This arrangement allows a rotation of the shaftin different planes, by raising or low-` 9,5 ering the two ends of the same'to different planes.

In order to prevent an accidental displacement of the axle in a horizontal plane, spiral springs 16 are arranged betweenthe 10o square part of the axle and the bearings. The above mentioned sleeve 11 may also be arranged on one side only in which case the springs between the square part and the body of the bearing can be dispensed with.

The supporting frame is slidably mounted upon a plate i17 which itselfis on both sides rigidly connected with slides 18. The slidable connection between the plates 14 and the plate 17 is preferably edected by 11o common screw bolts 19 which also unite the plates'14 and the brackets 15. These bolts pass through slots 20 of the plate 17 and are provided within 'the saine with guiding antifriction rollers 21.` Vertical bolts 22 connected to the frame are surrounded by coil springs 23 bearing with one of their ends against the upper faceof the plates la and with their other ends against the lower face of a cross-bar 211 through which the bolts pass (see Fig. 3). Upon the ends 22 of the bolts 22 extending beyond the cross-bar, springs are placed in a similar manner as the springs 23 which bear against the upper face of thev cross-bar and the end flanges 25 of the bar and thus absorb the shock re# ceived by the lower springs.

The slides 18- are preferably mounted upon guide'rails made of angle irons or tubes l26 (Fig. t) secured to the frame work of the sleigh, the connection between the slides and the guide rails being' effected by means of bolts29 passing through rollers V27 whicherotate within a guiding slot 28 between tlie angle irons 26.

By the above described arrangement three different" independent movements can be imparted to the shaft, namely an oblique ad- K jfustmentin the-vertical plane, on account of Vfesv the rotary adjustment of the bearings, furthermore aV temporary parallel movement iny the vertical plane on account of its resilient larrangement in the bearing frame, and finally a constant adjustment in the vertical 'frame on account of its rigid connection with the-slides18- The slides are operated from the drivers seatgby means of a chain drum 30 which is actuated'by a hand wheel 3l and by two chains 32 and 33 passing over pulleys 3e and 35, 36 and 37, secured to the frame at 38 and 39, respectively, and connected to the slides 18 at the connecting plate 17, said pulleys when operated lowering or raising the slides according to the direction of operation. l

1t is obvious that chain drums with hand wheels which are connected by a common kaxle and which can'be adjusted against each other may be arranged upon both sides of the sleigh. Y

The necessary displacement of the blade wheel is dependent in each caseV from the l conditionof the road. When the ground is frozen or covered with frozen snow the blad'ewheel is lowered only to such an extent that the prongs or spikes firmly engage vthe ground, whereas in case the road is covered with newly fallen snow, the wheel is lowered to' such an extent that its mantle dives belowthe surface of the snow and the drum compresses the same. Y

As the distance between the chain wheel Y 40 mounted upon the shaft 9 of the blade wheel and the driving wheel 41 varies constantly on account of the adjustment or displacement of the drum blade wheel or its l,device is provided which comprises twoforked pivotally connected levers 42, 43, one of which, a2, is pivotally mounted upon the axle 9 of the blade wheel, while the other is similarly mounted upon the axle of the driving wheel 41, the lever 43 is extended over its pivotal point of connection with the lever 'l2 and carries at its free end a guide chain wheel il over which the chain 45 passing over wheels l0 and ll passes also. The axle of the chain wheel al with its bearing sleeve is arranged in an elongated slot 16 of the lever L13 in such a manner that a lengthening or shortening of the distance between the wheels da and L11 is possible. rThis arrangement allows of keeping the chain constantly tensioned as the guide wheel is moved outwardly when the two centers of the shafts are approaching each other whereas, when the two centers of said shafts are withdrawing from each other an inward movement of the guide chain wheel is eilfected so that the chain always remains tensioned.

r1`he steering of the sleigh is effected by means of two steering shoes 18 which are pivotally'connected to a front bracket L17 of the frame 2 and possess strong central ribs'flt) provided with grooves GG at their lower faces. Each of the steering. slices is secured to an arm 61 pivoted at one end to the bracket 62of the shoe and at the other end to ay shaft 50. To the bracket 62 is also secured by bolts, etc., a pair of cylindrical sleeves 63 receiving strong coil springs 54 compressed by pistons and piston rods 51 jointly connected to arms 60 and a rod 64. The other end of this rod 6i is connected to the shaft 50 and the other end of the arm 60 is pivotally secured to the lower end of the shaft 50 connected to the arm 61. On

this end the casing G3 is tightly closed by a stuffing box. The shaft 50 extends vertically froin the bracket through the frame 2 and is connected at its free end to a' steering lever 57 which is suitably coupled with the steering lever of the second steering shoe by bars 58- and which can be actuated by means of a rope 0r chain 59 passing around guide rollers 65 and secured to the bars 58 with one of their ends and passing i the same will effect a steering of the sleigh b y the oscillation of the shaft 50 thus providing a reliable steering means. At both sides of the steering shoes the same are provided with a covering 55 of strong sheet metal forming toward the front a sharp edge so as to prevent the entrance of snow into the shoes and to offer friction surfaces which allow of the ready steering of the sleigh when traveling in deep snow.

In place of the steering shoes one or two suitable disks provided with ribs or the like may be employed in this case, or if only one steering shoe is employed, it is advantageous to operate the same from a central axis so that the sleigh yis steered from one point of oscillation.

The blades 5 of the blade wheel are placed on the drum 6 respectively secured to the spokes 71 projecting through the outer face of the drum. They are inclined to the spokes on an angle of about 45 as shown in Fig. 9 and may be straight as shown in Fig. 3 or have the form of waves as shown in Fig. 11 so that the snow can easily fall off the blades. At their periphery the blades are connected by two parallel rims 7 having sharp teeth or prongs provided with lateral projections 73 which are bent alternately to opposite sides.

l claim:

A motor sleigh of the character described comprising in combination, a blade wheel displaceable and adjustable in vertical direction, a shaft for said wheel journaled in displaceable bearings of the sleigh frame, a driving sprocket wheel, a driven sprocket wheel upon the axle of said shaft, a twoarmed lever connecting both wheels having arms of unequal length pivotally connected, a sprocket wheel at the extremity of the longer arm and a chain guided over said sprocket wheel adapted to be tightened in harmony with the changing relation of said shaft, and means for operating said wheels, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JAKOB RANTAS. Witnesses:

AUGUST FUGGER, IGNAZ KNoR SoHMAoHE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

